Packaging Receptacle For Making Packaging Article Exhibiting Combination of Linear Tear and Directional Curl

Abstract

A packaging receptacle, made from a flexible film, has a first side sealed to a second side, a top edge and an open top, an interior chamber, and a tear initiator. A product is placed in the internal chamber within the packaging receptacle, and the receptacle sealed closed. The flexible film has a linear tear property and an imbalanced internal stress so that the film exhibits a linear tear property in combination with the torn edges curling outwardly and away from the interior chamber within the packaging article. The packaging receptacle is particularly suited for the packaging of medical products to be sterilized while in the package. Also disclosed is a manually-openable packaged product, a process for preparing and transferring a product, and a process of opening a packaged product made from a packaging receptacle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A packaging receptacle for making a manually-openable package for packaging a product, the packaging receptacle being made from a flexible film, the packaging receptacle comprising:
 (A) a first side sealed to a second side at a first seal;   (B) a top edge and an open top so that the product can be inserted into an interior chamber within the packaging receptacle;   (C) a tear initiator;   
       wherein the flexible film has both a linear tear property and an imbalanced internal stress, so that upon placing a product into the packaging receptacle and sealing the packaging receptacle closed with a top seal to form a packaging article around the product, the tear initiator is present in a skirt which is outward of the first seal or outward of the top seal, and upon manually initiating a tear from the tear initiator, the tear is manually propagated through the first seal or the top seal, with the tear thereafter further propagating as both a first tear and a second tear, the first tear being down the first side of the packaging article and the second tear being down the second side of the packaging article, with the manual propagation of the tear down the first side producing first and second torn edges, and the manual propagation of the tear down the second side producing third and fourth torn edges, wherein film along at least the first torn edge and the second torn edge curls outwardly and away from the interior chamber within the packaging article. 
     
     
         2 . The packaging receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein the film has a total free shrink at 85° C. of less than 10 percent, measured in accordance with ASTM D2732 
     
     
         3 . The packaging receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein the tear initiator is positioned so that the first and second tears are made along parallel lines, with the distance between the first and second tear lines being from 0.125 to 6 inches. 
     
     
         4 . The packaging receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein the film is a multilayer film and at least one layer of the multilayer film comprises a blend making up at least 51 percent of the layer weight, the blend being at least one member selected from the group consisting of (i) low density polyethylene and ionomer resin, (ii) polybutylene and ionomer resin, (iii) ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer and ionomer resin, (iv) linear low density polyethylene and ionomer resin, (v) low density polyethylene and styrene/butadiene copolymer, (vi) low density polyethylene and polybutylene, (vii) cyclic olefin copolymer and low density polyethylene, (viii) cyclic olefin copolymer and linear low density polyethylene, (ix) cyclic olefin copolymer and high density polyethylene, (xi) cyclic olefin copolymer and polypropylene, (x) cyclic olefin copolymer and polystyrene, (xi) cyclic olefin copolymer and styrene/butadiene copolymer, (xii) polybutylene and ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, (xiii) polybutylene and linear low density polyethylene, (xiv) polybutylene and high density polyethylene, (xv) ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer and linear low density polyethylene. 
     
     
         5 . The packaging receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein the film is a multilayer film, and comprises:
 a linear tear layer providing the multilayer film with the linear tear property, the linear tear layer making up from 50 to 70 percent of the total film thickness, the linear tear layer comprising an incompatible polymer blend that makes up from 80 to 100 weight percent of the linear tear layer;   a curl layer that provides the film with the imbalance of internal stress, the curl layer making up from 15 to 35 percent of the total film thickness, the curl layer comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of high density polyethylene, styrene/butadiene copolymer, polystyrene, ethylene/norbornene copolymer, polyamide, polyester; and   at least one outer heat-sealable layer comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of ethylene homopolymer, ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer, ionomer resin, and ethylene/unsaturated ester copolymer, the outer heat-sealable layer having a thickness of at least 5 percent of the total film thickness.   
     
     
         6 . The packaging receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein the film along the third torn edge curls away from the interior chamber within the packaging article, and the film along the fourth torn edge curls away from the interior chamber within the packaging article. 
     
     
         7 . The packaging receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein the skirt is outward of the first seal, and the tear initiator is present in the skirt. 
     
     
         8 . The packaging receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein the skirt is outward of the top seal, and the tear initiator is present in the skirt. 
     
     
         9 . The packaging receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second tears can be manually propagated down the length of the packaging article to an opposite edge of the packaging article. 
     
     
         10 . The packaging receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one lay-flat side of the packaging receptacle further comprises a vent comprising a continuous film edge defining a vapor passageway into the interior of the packaging receptacle, with a semi-permeable membrane covering the vapor passageway, the semi-permeable membrane overlapping the film in a rim region around the passageway, with the semi-permeable membrane being bonded to the film around an entirety of a perimeter of the passageway, and wherein the vent is positioned so that neither the first tear down the first lay-flat side of the article nor the second tear down the second lay-flat side of the packaging article propagates into or through the vent. 
     
     
         11 . The packaging receptacle according to  claim 10 , wherein the semi-permeable membrane comprises a spun-bonded high density polyethylene fibrous sheet, and the film is heat sealed to the semi-permeable membrane. 
     
     
         12 . The packaging receptacle according to  claim 10 , wherein the packaging receptacle comprises a first vent and a second vent, with the first vent being separated from the second vent by a distance of from 5 centimeters to 50 centimeters. 
     
     
         13 . The packaging receptacle according to  claim 12 , further comprising a third vent and a fourth vent, with each of the first, second, third, and fourth vents being separated from the other vents by a distance of at least 2 centimeters. 
     
     
         14 . The packaging receptacle according to  claim 1 , further comprising a first grip-assister on a first side of the tear initiator and a second grip-assister on a second side of the tear initiator, each of the first and second grip assisters comprising a continuous interior film edge defining a passageway through the skirt of the packaging receptacle. 
     
     
         15 . The packaging receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein the packaging receptacle is an end-seal bag comprising a seamless film tubing in lay-flat configuration with the first seal being a first heat seal forming a bottom of the interior chamber within the end-seal bag, with the end-seal bag having a folded first side edge and a folded second side edge, and wherein upon placing a product into the end-seal bag and sealing the end-seal bag closed with the top heat seal, the end-seal bag forms a packaging article around the product, with the tear initiator being present in the skirt which is outward of the first heat seal or outward of the top heat seal, and upon manually initiating a tear from the tear initiator, the tear can be manually propagated through the first heat seal or the top heat seal, with the tear thereafter further propagating as both the first tear and the second tear, the first tear being down the first lay-flat side of the packaging article and the second tear being down the second lay-flat side of the packaging article, with the manual propagation of the tear down the first lay-flat side producing first and second torn edges, and the manual propagation of the tear down the second lay-flat side producing third and fourth torn edges, wherein film along the first and second torn edges curls outwardly and away from the interior chamber within the packaging article, and film along the third and fourth torn edges also curls outwardly and away from the interior chamber within the packaging article. 
     
     
         16 . The packaging receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein the packaging receptacle is a side-seal bag comprising a flat film having a folded bottom edge, with the film on a first side of the fold making up the first lay-flat side of the side-seal bag and the film on a second side of the fold making up the second lay-flat side of the side-seal bag, with the first seal being a first side seal along a first side edge of the bag, the first side seal being a heat seal, the first side seal extending from the folded bottom edge of the side-seal bag to the top edge of the side-seal bag, with the side-seal bag further comprising a second side seal along a second side edge of the bag, the second side seal also being a heat seal, the second side seal extending from the folded bottom edge of the side-seal bag to the top edge of the side-seal bag, and wherein upon placing a product into the side-seal bag and sealing the side-seal bag closed with the top seal, the side-seal bag forms a packaging article around the product, with the tear initiator being present in the skirt which is outward of the first side seal or outward of the second side seal, or outward of the top seal, and upon manually initiating a tear from the tear initiator, the tear can be manually propagated through the respective first heat seal or the second heat seal or the top seal, with the tear thereafter further propagating as both the first tear and the second tear, the first tear being down the first lay-flat side of the packaging article and the second tear being down the second lay-flat side of the packaging article, with the manual propagation of the tear down the first lay-flat side producing first and second torn edges, and the manual propagation of the tear down the second lay-flat side producing third and fourth torn edges, wherein film along the first and second torn edges curls outwardly and away from the interior chamber within the packaging article, and film along the third and fourth torn edges also curls outwardly and away from the interior chamber within the packaging article. 
     
     
         17 . The packaging receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein the packaging receptacle is an L-seal bag comprising a flat film having a fold therein, with the fold providing a first side edge of the L-seal bag, with the film on a first side of the fold making up the first lay-flat side of the L-seal bag and the film on a second side of the fold making up the second lay-flat side of the L-seal bag, with the fold extending from a bottom edge of the L-seal bag to the top edge defining the open top of the L-seal bag, with the first seal being a first heat seal which is an end seal forming a bottom of the interior chamber of the L-seal bag, the first heat seal being along a bottom edge of the L-seal bag, the first heat seal extending from the first side edge of the L-seal bag to a second side edge of the L-seal bag, with the L-seal bag further comprising a second heat seal along a second side edge thereof, the second heat seal extending from the bottom edge of the L-seal bag to the top edge of the L-seal bag, and wherein upon placing a product into the L-seal bag and sealing the L-seal bag closed with the top seal, the L-seal bag forms a packaging article around the product, with the tear initiator being present in the skirt which is outward of the first heat seal or the second heat seal or the top seal, and upon manually initiating a tear from the tear initiator, the tear can be manually propagated through the respective first heat seal or second heat seal or top seal, with the tear thereafter further propagating as both the first tear and the second tear, the first tear being down the first lay-flat side of the packaging article and the second tear being down the second lay-flat side of the packaging article, with the manual propagation of the tear down the first lay-flat side producing first and second torn edges, and the manual propagation of the tear down the second lay-flat side producing third and fourth torn edges, wherein film along the first and second torn edges curls outwardly and away from the interior chamber within the packaging article, and film along the third and fourth torn edges also curls outwardly and away from the interior chamber within the packaging article. 
     
     
         18 . The packaging receptacle according to  claim 17 , wherein:
 the skirt is a first skirt which is outward of the first heat seal and the tear initiator is a first tear initiator present in the first skirt,   the L-seal bag further comprises a second skirt outward of the second heat seal, with a second tear initiator in the second skirt, the second tear initiator being in a position to make a linear tear along the top heat seal of the packaging article,   so that upon initiating first and second linear tears across the first and second lay-flat sides of the packaging article from the second tear initiator to the opposite edge of the packaging article, with the first and second tears being manually-propagated across a width of the packaging article, and thereafter initiating third and fourth linear tears down the first and second lay-flat sides of the packaging article from the first tear initiator, with the third and fourth tears being manually-propagated down the length of the packaging article to the opposite edge of the packaging article, a first unrestrained corner flap is produced on the first lay-flat side of the packaging article, and a second unrestrained corner flap is produced on the second lay-flat side of the packaging article, with the unrestrained corner flaps being capable of curling all the way back to a diagonal line extending from a torn end of the first heat seal to a torn end of the second heat seal, thereby exposing the product within the chamber of the packaging article.   
     
     
         19 . The packaging receptacle according to  claim 1 , wherein the packaging receptacle is a pouch and the first lay-flat side is a discrete first film panel and the second lay-flat side is a discrete second film panel, and the first seal is a heat seal which is an end seal forming a bottom of the interior of the packaging receptacle, the end seal extending along a bottom edge of the pouch, the end seal extending from a first side edge of the pouch to a second side edge of the pouch, the pouch further comprising a second heat seal along a first side edge of the pouch, with a second heat seal extending from the bottom edge of the pouch to the top edge of the pouch that defines the open top of the pouch, the pouch further comprising a third heat seal along a second side edge of the pouch, with the third heat seal also extending from the bottom edge of the pouch to the top edge of the pouch, and wherein upon placing a product into the pouch and sealing the pouch closed with the top seal, the pouch bag forms a packaging article around the product, with the tear initiator being present in the skirt which is outward of the first heat seal or the second heat seal or the third heat seal or the top seal, and upon manually initiating a tear with the tear initiator being present in the skirt which is outward of the first heat seal or the second heat seal or the third heat seal or the top seal, the tear can be manually propagated through the respective end seal or the first heat seal or the second heat seal, or the third heat seal or the top seal, with the tear thereafter further propagating as both the first tear and the second tear, the first tear being down the first lay-flat side of the pouch and the second tear being down the second lay-flat side of the pouch, with the manual propagation of the first tear down the first lay-flat side producing first and second torn edges, and the manual propagation of the second tear down the second lay-flat side producing third and fourth torn edges, wherein film along the first and second torn edges curls outwardly and away from the interior chamber within the packaging article, and film along the third and fourth torn edges also curls outwardly and away from the interior chamber within the packaging article. 
     
     
         20 . The packaging receptacle according to  claim 19 , wherein:
 the skirt is a first skirt which is outward of the first heat seal and the tear initiator is a first tear initiator present in the first skirt,   the pouch further comprises a second skirt outward of the second heat seal, with a second tear initiator in the second skirt, the second tear initiator being in a position to make a linear tear along the top heat seal of the packaging article,   so that upon initiating first and second linear tears across the first and second lay-flat sides of the packaging article from the second tear initiator to the opposite edge of the packaging article, with the first and second tears being manually-propagated across a width of the packaging article, and thereafter initiating third and fourth linear tears down the first and second lay-flat sides of the packaging article from the first tear initiator, with the third and fourth tears being manually-propagated down the length of the packaging article to the opposite edge of the packaging article, a first unrestrained corner flap is produced on the first lay-flat side of the packaging article, and a second unrestrained corner flap is produced on the second lay-flat side of the packaging article, with the unrestrained corner flaps being capable of curling all the way back to a diagonal line extending from a torn end of the first heat seal to a torn end of the second heat seal, thereby exposing the product within the chamber of the packaging article.